The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) hinted at carrying out a nationwide public sector payroll clean-up exercise effective April 1.

In a press statement, the Commission indicated that the exercise is going to be assisted by the relevant stakeholders to sanitize the public sector payroll by identifying every fraud and redrawing them from their database.

“The exercise is aimed at sanitizing the public sector payroll by identifying and expunging any existing fraud and anomalies on it. It is also aimed at ensuring that only approved salaries and allowances are paid”, the statement read.

The Commission, however, wants all Boards or Councils and Heads of Public Sector Institutions to conduct an internal payroll audit and clean up by themselves before April 1.

This exercise is expected to cover basic salaries and all types of allowances and benefits.

Also, banks and individuals in receipt of fraudulent salaries and allowances were advised to do the needful to avert sanctions by the law.

It could be recalled that about 7,000 ghost names were removed from the government’s payroll in 2020, a report by the Controller and Accountant General’s department, and also over 60,000 ghost names from the past 8 years according to the Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

FWSC is the government’s agency mandated by FWSC Act, 2007 (Act 737) to develop and monitor allowances and benefits, as well as to co-ordinate, manage and monitor collective bargaining processes in which Government is the direct or indirect employer.

Below is the full statement 

By Leonora Enyonam Annoh | metrotvonline.com I Ghana